Study shines spotlight on farm suicide

A University of New England study is looking into the impact of suicide and accidental death on farming families.

The National Centre for Farmer Health wants to expand its research into eastern South Australia.

PhD student Alison Kennedy says it is hoped a framework can be developed to help bereaved families in the future and to inform government policy.

She says it is crucial farmers are able to talk to others about their grief.

"There's not always an opportunity to speak about their experiences of suicide and accidental death," she said.

"Particularly with suicide there are real stigmas involved in that and people aren't always willing to or comfortable in listening to people's stories, so this may actually be the first time that people speak in-depth about the experiences."

She says prevention is one of the key aims of the research.

"It's attempting to stop that ongoing suicide rate, people that have been exposed to suicide have actually higher rates of mortality themselves, so it's an attempt to stop that ongoing suicide rate and it's also an attempt to look at what people in the farming community actually need," she said.

If you need immediate help with mental health, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.